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Lanny A. Breuer, named by the National Law Journal as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America, is Covington’s Vice Chair and one of the leading trial and white collar defense attorneys in the United States. He specializes in helping clients navigate financial fraud investigations, anti-corruption matters, money laundering investigations, securities enforcement actions, cybercrime incidents, Congressional investigations, and other criminal and civil matters presenting complex regulatory, political, and public relations risks. He has been recognized by numerous national publications as one of the country's premier defense lawyers, including Chambers Global, Chambers USA, Legal 500, and Ethisphere, and he has successfully defended dozens of institutions and individuals in high-stakes criminal and civil matters. Mr. Breuer is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers.

From 2009-2013, Mr. Breuer served as Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, where he was widely acknowledged as a thought leader in the area of criminal law enforcement. For his work as the longest serving leader of the Criminal Division in recent history, Mr. Breuer received the Edmund J. Randolph Award for outstanding service, as well as numerous other accolades.

Mr. Breuer previously served as Special Counsel to President William Jefferson Clinton (1997-1999) and Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan (1985-1989).

Lead counsel for Hyperdynamics Corporation in FCPA investigations by the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission.

Lead counsel for global financial institution facing FCPA investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Lead counsel for global consumer product company facing FCPA investigations by the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission.

Lead counsel for global pharmaceutical company facing FCPA investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Lead counsel for various corporations and individuals facing sensitive inquiries and investigations by the Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, World Bank, and others.

Counsel to pitcher Roger Clemens in connection with Congressional investigation.

Lead counsel for former National Security Advisor Samuel Berger in an investigation of documents at the National Archives.

Lead counsel for the former Minister of Atomic Energy for Russian Presidents Yeltsin and Putin in a case alleging theft of tens of millions of dollars.

Represented the Special Litigation Committee of the Hewlett Packard Board of Directors.

Represented many major corporations before Congress, including a leading Internet company in a hearing concerning its foreign business activities, major pharmaceutical companies targeted in oversight investigations, the Los Alamos National Laboratory in a national security investigation, and a large Wall Street firm in the Enron hearing.

Pro Bono

Handled one of the longest contested adoption trials in DC Superior Court, and the subsequent appeal.

Memberships and Affiliations

American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow

Transparency International - USA, Board Member

Columbia Law School Board of Governors, Member

The Washington DC Police Foundation, Board Member

American Law Institute, Member

Edward Bennett Williams Inn of Court, Master Emeritus

United States Holocaust Memorial Council, Member (Presidential appointee) (1999-2004), Committee on Conscience, Member (1999-2009)

Previous Experience

Mr. Breuer served from 2009-2013 as Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division at the U.S. Department of Justice. As one of the longest-serving Criminal Division chiefs in history, Mr. Breuer oversaw nearly 600 lawyers at the center of federal criminal prosecution, policy, and legislation in the United States. In his role as Assistant Attorney General, Mr. Breuer was widely recognized as a national leader on a range of federal law enforcement priorities, including financial fraud, money laundering, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, health care fraud, cybercrime, intellectual property theft, and public corruption.

While at the Justice Department, Mr. Breuer spearheaded the publication of the Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which stands as the definitive guidance document from the United States government regarding its enforcement of the FCPA. Mr. Breuer also oversaw numerous prosecutions that set new benchmarks across a host of enforcement areas, including anti-corruption, money laundering, health care fraud, and cybercrime.

For his work as Assistant Attorney General, Mr. Breuer received the Edmund J. Randolph Award for outstanding service, the highest award the Attorney General can bestow on a Department employee. He also ranked sixth on Ethisphere’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in Business Ethics internationally and was named by the National Law Journal as one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America.

Prior to his service at the Justice Department, Mr. Breuer co-chaired the firm’s White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Group.

From 1997-1999, Mr. Breuer served as Special Counsel to President William Jefferson Clinton, representing the White House in investigations by the Independent Counsel, Department of Justice, and Congress, and defending President Clinton in impeachment proceedings.

From 1985-1989, Mr. Breuer served as an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan.

WASHINGTON—Global Investigations Review and Who’s Who Legal: Investigations have recognized Covington’s White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Group in its 2018 report. The publication named Covington partners Tammy Albarrán and Steven Fagell to the inaugural Future Leaders issue, a ranking of “the most eminent lawyers in the field under 45,” and ...

LOS ANGELES—Covington partner Carolyn Kubota has been named a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America. Ms. Kubota is the seventh Covington lawyer among the current Fellows, joining Lanny Breuer, Robert Haslam, John Nields, George Pappas, William Phillips, and Robert Sayler.
Ms. Kubota is a ...

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court issued its much-anticipated decision in Digital Realty Trust, Inc. v. Somers. Ruling 9-0, the Court held that the Dodd-Frank Act prohibits retaliation against whistleblowers only if they reported suspected wrongdoing directly to the SEC.

Our message this year is simple: FCPA enforcement is here to stay. Despite pre-election statements to the contrary, various senior officials in the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) have, over the past year, consistently reaffirmed DOJ’s and the SEC’s commitment to FCPA enforcement.

SAN FRANCISCO—Covington secured a victory on behalf of its clients the University of California and UC President Janet Napolitano when Northern District of California Judge William Alsup issued a nationwide injunction blocking the federal government’s effort to shut down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA).
On September 5, 2017, the ...

The American Lawyer named Covington a finalist for White Collar/Regulatory Litigation Department of the Year and highlights Eric Holder, Steven Fagell, Lanny Breuer, Nancy Kestenbaum, and Mythili Raman in its profile.

Bloomberg Law featured Lanny Breuer in a Q&A regarding his and the firm's involvement as co-counsel at the University of California against the Department of Homeland Security regarding the decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Commenting on the firm's decision to join the lawsuit, Breuer says, "We feel very strongly that the ...

On Monday, in Kokesh v. SEC, the Supreme Court handed a major loss to the Securities and Exchange Commission, unanimously holding that SEC claims for disgorgement of ill-gotten gains are subject to a five-year statute of limitations. The Kokesh decision also calls into question the proper measure of disgorgement (e.g., gross versus net profits) and even whether ...

On Monday, in Kokesh v. SEC,1 the Supreme Court handed a major loss to the Securities and Exchange Commission, unanimously holding that SEC claims for disgorgement of ill-gotten gains are subject to a five-year statute of limitations. For decades, the SEC had taken the position that its disgorgement claims could reach back indefinitely, and recently obtained a ...

WASHINGTON—Alan Bersin, former Assistant Secretary for International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has joined Covington as a Policy Consultant in the firm’s Public Policy and Government Affairs practice.
Mr. Bersin has led a highly regarded career of government service, having held a number of senior level positions within the Department ...

Lanny Breuer participated at the FCPA Blog Conference and is quoted in a Wall Street Journal article regarding the FCPA pilot program that will provide discounts to foreign-bribery offenders that disclose and tackle those transgressions and cooperate with the authorities. Breuer said that while it’s too soon to tell if the pilot has had its intended effect, he ...

Lanny Breuer participated at the FCPA Blog Conference and is quoted in a Law360 article regarding concerns raised by a requirement under a pilot Foreign Corrupt Practices Act disclosure program forcing companies to step back from conducting their own investigations. According to Breuer, the FCPA pilot program makes “an extraordinary request” by mandating that ...

Global Investigations Review highlights Covington’s role in helping AB InBev secure a declination notice from the U.S. Department of Justice in an FCPA investigation regarding the company’s business partners in India. The Covington team was led by Steven Fagell, who worked with Lanny Breuer, Jason Criss, and Benjamin Haley on the matter.

WASHINGTON—Global Investigations Review has named Covington’s FCPA practice among Washington’s “elite,” the highest tier in its “Washington DC’s FCPA Bar” survey.
In its profile, GIR notes Covington’s “deep bench of high-level former prosecutors,” including former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder; the last two former heads of the Criminal Division at the ...

NEW YORK—Arlo Devlin-Brown, most recently the Chief of the Public Corruption Unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and one of its top securities fraud prosecutors, has joined Covington as a partner in its white collar defense and investigations practice resident in the firm’s New York office.
Mr. Devlin-Brown has served in the ...

Lanny Breuer is quoted in a New York Times article regarding the upcoming arrival of Arlo Devlin-Brown to the firm’s white collar defense and investigations practice. According to Breuer, “[Devlin-Brown] has this exceptional level of experience, having done securities cases and corruption cases.” He continues, “He’ll very quickly become a central figure of the ...

NEW YORK, October 6, 2015 - Covington partner C. William Phillips has been named a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America. Mr. Phillips is the seventh Covington lawyer among the current Fellows, joining Lanny Breuer, Robert Haslam, James McKay, John Nields, George Pappas, and Robert Sayler.
Mr. ...

WASHINGTON, DC, May 26, 2015 — Covington represented Hyperdynamics Corporation in an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice into potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act related to its business activities in the Republic of Guinea. The Justice Department has completed its investigation without bringing any charges against the ...

LOS ANGELES, March 6, 2015 — Former federal prosecutor and leading white collar defense lawyer Dan Shallman will join Covington as a partner in the firm’s new Los Angeles office on March 9. Mr. Shallman will head the firm’s Southern California white collar and investigations team while also playing a leading role in the growth of Covington’s LA office. Aaron ...

Covington's Lanny Breuer and Peter Lichtenbaum have authored this article on corporate compliance:
The phone rings, and the CEO tells you she’s planning an acquisition of a target that has operations in Europe and Asia. She’s focused on the potential to develop technology 24-7 and get closer to the global customers. Of course, your job is to get regulatory ...

Covington's Lanny Breuer is quoted regarding President Obama nominating Loretta E. Lynch
"Former Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Lanny Breuer worked closely with Lynch on the 2011 Mafia takedown of more than 120 members — the largest of its kind in U.S. history — and the record $1.9 billion settlement with HSBC, the global bank that ...

Thomas Barnett, Lanny Breuer, Deborah Garza, Mythili Raman and Phillip Warren have written this article on what potential subjects should keep in mind as they attempt to navigate joint investigations by DOJ’s Criminal and Antitrust Divisions:
"In recent years, the US Department of Justice’s antitrust and criminal divisions have announced massive, joint ...

WASHINGTON, DC, August 18, 2014 — Best Lawyers named Covington & Burling’s Stuart Eizenstat and Gregg Levy each a 2015 “Lawyer of the Year” in international trade and sports law, respectively, citing their “abilities, professionalism and integrity.” Overall, Covington lawyers received 217 individual mentions in 58 areas of law in the newly released annual survey ...

WASHINGTON, DC, August 5, 2014 — Covington & Burling’s Lanny Breuer, a partner and vice chairman of the firm, has been named to the National Law Journal’s inaugural list of 50 Governance Risk & Compliance Trailblazers & Pioneers. The list recognizes people who have “moved the needle” in the changing ways that law firms conduct business towards governance, risk ...

WASHINGTON, DC, November 21, 2013 — Washingtonian magazine has named 34 Covington & Burling attorneys as “Best Lawyers” in its December issue. The biennial list, compiled by the magazine’s editorial staff, identifies leading lawyers in the Washington area.
Of the hundreds of “Best Lawyers” identified in the issue, Washingtonian spotlights 14 leading Washington ...

WASHINGTON, DC, March 28, 2013 — Lanny A. Breuer, most recently the Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, is returning to Covington & Burling as Vice Chair of the firm.
Mr. Breuer’s practice will encompass a wide range of civil and criminal litigation matters, as well as governmental and internal investigations. ...

WASHINGTON, DC, September 29, 2008 — Covington & Burling LLP received 124 individual mentions in 40 areas of law in the 2009 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. This annual compilation of top US lawyers is based on peer-review surveys and is used as a referral guide in the legal profession. The Covington lawyers recognized are as follows:
Administrative: ...

WASHINGTON, DC, June 16, 2008 — Covington & Burling LLP received 81 individual mentions and 45 practice mentions in the newly released 2008 Chambers USA. The guidebook, which ranks lawyers by state and national practice area, is designed to identify the most skilled legal practitioners based on the qualities most valued by clients.
Here are the Covington ...

WASHINGTON, DC, November 30, 2007 — Nineteen Covington & Burling LLP attorneys are recognized as “Top Lawyers” in the December 2007 issue of Washingtonian magazine. The list, compiled by the magazine’s editorial staff based on peer recommendations, identifies leading lawyers in the Greater Washington area. Of the “Top Lawyers,” Washingtonian identified 30 as the ...

WASHINGTON, DC, September 6, 2007 — Covington & Burling LLP received 115 individual mentions in 38 areas of law in the 2008 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. This annual compilation of top US lawyers is based on peer-review surveys and is used as a referral guide in the legal profession. The recipients are as follows:
Administrative: E. Edward Bruce and ...

WASHINGTON, DC, June 18, 2007 — Covington & Burling LLP received 44 practice mentions and 74 individual mentions in the newly released 2007 Chambers USA guidebook. The 2007 edition of Chambers USA attempts to identify the most skilled legal practitioners throughout the country based on the qualities most valued by clients. Covington attorneys have been ...

Covington & Burling LLP operates as a limited liability partnership worldwide, with the practice in England and Wales conducted by an affiliated
limited liability multinational partnership, Covington & Burling LLP, which is formed under the laws of the State of Delaware in the United States
and authorized and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with registration number 77071.
The practice in Johannesburg is conducted by an affiliated limited company Covington & Burling (Pty) Ltd. The practice in Dublin Ireland is through a general affiliated Irish partnership, Covington & Burling and authorized and regulated by the Law Society of Ireland with registration number F9013.